Everything about Wgn America totally explained
WGN America is a Chicago-based American
superstation for
WGN-TV, owned by
Tribune Broadcasting Company. WGN America offers its national programming across North America without network programming. It is the only remaining national superstation after TBS became a regular cable channel on
October 12007. WGN America is available via satellite to
DirecTV and
Dish Network in the United States as well as through some smaller Canadian cable companies; most Canadian viewers which previously received the previous Superstation WGN feed now receive the
WGN-TV Chicago feed. In
Chicagoland, WGN America isn't available on cable or terrestrial digital but is available to DirecTV and Dish Network viewers.
History
In
October 1978, United Video uplinked the signal of
WGN-TV Channel 9 in
Chicago to the Satcom-3 satellite for cable and satellite subscribers nationwide. For over 11 years, the national program schedule was the exact same as Chicago's.
In
1989, a new law known as Syndication Exclusivity Rule, or "
SyndEx", was passed. This law means that whenever a local station has the exclusive rights to air a syndicated program in their market, it must be covered up on any out-of-town stations by the local cable company. On
January 1,
1990, a separate national feed of WGN-TV was launched to avoid any blackouts, save for some sports programming, similar to
WWOR-TV's "
WWOR EMI Service", only with fewer blackouts.
WGN America's national feed doesn't carry the
WGN Morning News (it is claimed that the newscast was dropped in 1996 from Superstation WGN due to "SyndEx" rules on some segments) but does air the Noon and 9 p.m. (
Central Time) newscasts, along with the
Illinois State Lottery and
Mega Millions multstate lottery drawings. The evening newscast is occasionally pre-empted nationally due to Chicago Bulls basketball games cleared only on WGN-TV Chicago but not on WGN America or if a movie on WGN America runs long.
Another major programming difference between the national and Chicago area feeds is that WGN America doesn't carry
CW Network programming (which does appear on WGN-TV Chicago), as that network is available in most markets around the country. Superstation WGN did carry programming from the former
WB Network nationwide (which Tribune had an ownership interest in) from the network's launch in 1995 until 1999, when local station coverage was deemed sufficient enough by
Time Warner and Tribune to discontinue airing The WB on Superstation WGN. Moreover, some markets with Tribune-owned stations don't have WGN America on analogue or digital cable.
Both the Chicago area and national feeds feature
Cubs and
White Sox baseball games and air a select amount of
Bulls basketball games. Due to
NBA broadcast rights restrictions, most Bulls games contracted to air on
WGN-TV are seen in the Chicago area only; WGN America airs movies and other syndicated programming instead. Nearly half of WGN-produced White Sox games and eight Cubs games air on
WCIU-TV for the Chicago market only. With former superstation
TBS having moved its national broadcasts of the
Atlanta Braves to its local Atlanta
WPCH-TV feed in 2008, it leaves WGN as the only superstation broadcasting local sports to a national audience.
(External Link
)
On
May 24,
2008, Superstation WGN formally changed its name to WGN America. However, as of that date, its use was limited to promos, as the Superstation WGN idents remained in use. The new name and logo went into fulltime use on the channel on
Memorial Day,
May 26,
2008.
Shows
Currently airing
Past Programming
21 Jump Street
The Andy Griffith Show
Banana Splits
Barney Miller
Bewitched
The Bozo Show
Bugs Bunny and Friends
Caroline in the City
Charles in Charge
Charlie's Angels
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
Coach
Cooky's Cartoon Club
C.O.P.S.
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Designing Women
DuckTales
Empty Nest
The Facts of Life
Family Matters
The Flintstones
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Full House
Fun House
Geraldo
Gidget
Good Times
Hill Street Blues
Home Improvement
The Honeymooners
I Dream of Jeannie
In the Heat of the Night
The Jeffersons
The Joan Rivers Show
Leave it to Beaver
MacGyver
Magnum, P.I.
Mama's Family
M.A.S.K.
Match Game '98
Night Court
The Odd Couple
One Day at a Time
Perry Mason
Phyllis
Puttin' On the Hits
Saved by the Bell
Street Justice
Suddenly Susan
TaleSpin
Trapper John, M.D.
Twilight Zone
Webster
Welcome Back Kotter
Will & Grace
WKRP in Cincinnati
Yogi Bear
WGN in Canada
On January 17, 2007, many cable systems in Canada, as well as Star Choice, switched to the WGN-TV Chicago feed, duplicating CW Network and many syndicated programs already available on other channels. This is a result of Shaw Broadcast Services (the main supplier of the WGN feed in Canada) switching to the local feed. It is believed that the switch was made to avoid fees required to carry Superstation WGN. WGN America continues to be carried on other cable systems in Canada, however Bell ExpressVu has been carrying the WGN-TV Chicago feed for several years.
High Definition
A high definition feed of WGN America is now available on AT&T U-verse and other systems as it becomes available. Cubs and White Sox baseball, Bulls basketball and most episodes of Corner Gas are in high definition.
Logos
» Note: WGN America used WGN-TV Chicago logos until 1995.
Image:WGN (1995) logo.svg|WGN's logo from 1995-2001. This is the second "modern" logo, in blue. the "G" is an inverted "9", which was also used by Superstation WGN.
Image:Wgn2001_a.jpg|Superstation WGN logo from 2001 to 2002.
Image:Wgn2003_a.jpg|WGN logo from 2002-2006. This is the "Circle S" logo.
Image:SuperstationWGN2007.jpg|Superstation WGN logo from 2006 to 2008.
Image:Wgnamerica.jpg|WGN America logo from 2008.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Wgn America'.
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